Another difficult choice, from a trinity of possibilities. Near the end of my college days, my faith life was deepening. Within a year or so, I read Merton’s autobiography, the Rule of St Benedict, and this early Henri Nouwen book, pictured left in the edition familiar to me.
Because of our Newman Community retreats, I was quite familiar with the setting and some of the characters. We even saw Fr Nouwen on one of his later visits to the monastery.
As a boy, teen, and young adult, I wasn’t very integrated where my emotional life was concerned. Today, a few of Fr Nouwen’s passages inspire a wince. But in the day, I realized it was acceptable to mix my feelings, my thoughts, and my emerging spiritual life. It was part of being a whole person, rather than being a Christian when I was in church, a student when in class, a competitor when at the chessboard, etc..
Catholic Sensibility 